New Pack...

I have way too many packs. I know, you can never have too many packs but I am closing in on that number. I have many small to medium packs that I never use. Over the years I have purchased more small to medium packs to use with my job. I was a drug agent and part of my job sometimes consisted of being in the woods for 12-24 hours. Naturally I had to carry all of my equipment and I elected to carry it in the smallest pack that I could. Well over the years, I have accumulated all these small to medium packs and I am looking to come up with a small, medium and large system that I can use and get rid of all these other packs that I have.

I say all that to say this, I am looking at the FILBE pack system that the U.S. Marines are now using and I am looking for input from people that have used these. No matter if you used these in a military situation or in a civilian setting, I just need input. I will not be so concerned with weight because I will camp where I can drive my off road cart to but I would like to at least have a pack with essentials in it for at least a couple of days.

This pack system will only be used for recreational use. No long treks, no packing meat out or anything like that. Just going to use it for when me and the family are out taking it easy. Also it will be used in non snow country. Food, clothing, shelter, emergency first aid supplies, cooking utensils and the like will be packed in and on this pack. Maybe this will help you all get an idea what I am looking for in a pack and if the one I am looking at will work.

How may cubic inches are in the Filbe pack? I don't like what the suspension system looks like. It doesn't look like much. There are a lot of accessories to attach to this thing. I would look at Mystery Ranch, Badlands, Eberlestock or Kifaru packs before I plunk down $300 on a pack I've never heard of and can't try on.

I purchased a used IBLE that had seen some use on at least one tour. As stated, they are stout and pretty heavy but worked well. My oldest son (A Marine Corp veteran) used it on a bear hunt into Hell's Canyon. He carrried a heavy load of camp and bear meat out of the Canyon with it. Nothing that heavy is comfortable but it held up to it. My youngest son used it the following year on the same hunt. No bear meat but it was a tough hunt. The pack held up for him also. If you don't mind the weight, it will probably do everything you ask of it.